Page created on February 20, 2022. Last updated on December 18, 2024 at 16:58
Introduction
Failure to thrive, also known as faltering growth, refers to the situation where there is sub-optimal weight gain or rate of weight gain in young children over time. See also topic B7 from paeds 1.
Causes
| Etiology | Examples |
| Inadequate intake | Inadequate feeding (food unavailability, poor feeding routines, insufficient breast milk, incorrect preparation of formula) |
| Psychosocial deprivation (parental mental health disorder, poor parental-infant interaction) | |
| Neglect or child abuse | |
| Inadequate retention (chronic vomiting) | GERD |
| Food allergy | |
| Increased requirements | Congenital heart disease |
| Cystic fibrosis | |
| Malignancy | |
| Malabsorption | Coeliac disease |
| Cystic fibrosis | |
| Food allergy | |
| Crohn disease | |
| Failure to utilise nutrients | Genetic/chromosomal disorders |
| Intrauterine growth restriction | |
| Congenital infection | |
| Hypothyroidism | |
| Metabolic disorders |